Mavericks must play better to win this series

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled the Mavs are up 1-0 in this playoff series with the Spurs, but, unlike many, I was not that thrilled with the way the Mavs won this game. In fact, I would go so far as to say the Spurs lost the game more than the Mavs won it. And I don't think the Spurs are going to make the same mistakes tonight that cost them Sunday's game.

The reason the Mavericks came out on the large end of the final 100-94 score was the simple fact that the Spurs got called for committing 28 fouls sending the Mavs to the free throw line 34 times. They scored 25 points from the line compared 14 for the Spurs, a difference of almost twice the final scoring margin. Don't expect the Mavs to get that much charity tonight.

Not only that, the Mavs, an 82 percent free throw shooting team during the regular season, only shot 73 percent Sunday. Admittedly, that number was down because the Spurs intentionally fouled Eric Dampier who was only five for 12 from the stripe, but that Mavs may need to expect that throughout the series.

I'm also thinking Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is going to come up with a defense that will keep Dirk Nowitzki from scoring 36 points again. On the other side of that coin, the Mavs must find a way to keep Tim Ducan from scoring 10 points over his season average again while still keeping Richard Jefferson under control. Dallas must also get more production from Jason Terry -- he cannot continue to play 23 minutes and only produce 5 points (11 points below his season average), as he did Sunday.

I still think the Mavericks can win this series in five games, but they must play a whole lot better if they expect to advance to the next round.